Machine for stripping or stemming tobacco leaves



(No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 1. S. REID. 82; E. G. TREMAINE. MACHINE POR STRIPPINGOR STBMMING TOBAGGOTLEAVES. No. 589,981.

Patented Sept. 14, 1897.

TH; Nonms ruins co Hom-nwo.. WASHINGTON, n. c

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. S. REID & E. G. TREMAINE. MACHINE EOE STEIEPING 0E STEMMING TOBACCO LEAVES. No. 589,981lv Patented Sept. 14,1897.

RS to, Nmuumo.. wAsHiNoTou. n. c

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3,

S. REID 8v E. G. TREMAINE. MACHINE EOE SEEIPEENG 0E STEMMING TOBACCO LEAVES.

No. 589,981. Pltented sept. 14,1897.

i4 d@ Eg@ 2i im f1' E@ A i 'l'iilu'l 'l' m fa,

y 45 of their stems, one at a time, into the inner c trenN `*raras arnivr Crt-ren.

I SAMUEL REID, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, AND EDWARD G, TREMAINE,

OF BROOKLYN, NEYV YORK, ASSIGNORS TO THE REID TOBACCO MA- CHINERY COMPANY, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

MACHINE FOR STRIPPING OR STEiViil/IING TOBACCOsLEAl/ES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 589,981, dated September 14, 1897',

Application filed June I7, 1896. Serial No. 595,865. (No model.)

To all whom 'it may con/cern.:

Be it known that we, SAMUEL REID, of Jersey City, in the State of New Jersey, and EDWARD G. TREMAINE, of Brooklyn, in the State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Machines for Stripping or Stemming Tobacco-Leaves, of which the following is a specification.

lYe will describe a machine embodying our 1o improvement, and afterward point out the novel features in the claims. In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a front elevation of a machine embodying our improvement. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken at the plane of the line c 5c, Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken at the plane of the dotted line y y, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a sectional top view taken at the plane of the dotted line zo 5 Z, Fig.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

The framework A of the machine may be of any suitable construction and material.

2 5 The machine comprises tubular critters B B2, having sharpened and serrated outer ends 5 and fitted together concentrically, so that one closely surrounds the other. The inner cutter B has affixed to it a gear-wheel b', which 3o meshes with a gear-wheel b2 on a shaft b3 mounted in the framework of the machine. The gear-wheel h2 engages with a geanwheel b4, affixed to a shaft b5, mounted in the framework of the machine. On the shaft h5 is af fixed a gear-wheel 1J, which `meshes with a gear-wheel D7, that is affixed to the outer cutter B2. Thus the two cutters will be driven in reverse directions.

The shaft b5 has affixed to it a gear-whee 4o hs, which meshes with a gear-wheel b9, affixed to a shaft C, constituting the drivin g-shaft of the machine and provided with a belt-pulley c.

vTobacco-leaves to he stemmed are subjected to the cutters by introducing the en ds cutter B and then causing the'leaves to move lengthwise of the cutters. This movement is Vproduced by the hand of the attendant until the end of a stem reaches feed-rollers D D2,v

which preferably are serrated, so that they 5o may take a firm hold upon the stems.

Thefeed-rollers D D2 are mounted upon shafts CZ d2. As shown, the shaft d' is journaled in stationary bearings in the framework of the machine, but the shaft d2 isjour- 55 naled in movable bearings d2 d4. The bearing cl2, which supports that end of the shaft which is farthest from the feed-roller D2, is. connected by trunnions (Z5 to the framework of the machine. IIence it can have a swing- 6o ing movement. The bearing d4 is capable of a sliding movement to adjust the feed-roller D2 relatively to the feedroller D', for the purpose of causing the feed-rollers to grip with any desired force the stem of the tobacco-leaf, which they are to feed. The bearing d4 is actuated by means of a lever d6, which is fulcrumed at CZT to the framework of the machine and connected beyond the fulcruinwith a spring d8.' YVith the spring d8 7o is combined an adjustable screw (Z9, connected with the framework of the machine, so as to be capable of varying the tension of the spring and hence the force with which the feed-roller D2 will be impelled toward 75 the feed-roller D.

O11 the shafts d d2 of the feed-rollers D' D2 are fixed gearwheels d10 du. Hence the two feed-rollers will rotate in unison and in opposite directions. On the shaft d' is fixed a 8o large beveled gear CP2, that engages with a' smaller beveled gear CP2, affixed to the driving-shaft C.

In front of the cutters B B2 are rollers E' E2, whichare aiiixed to vertical shafts e e2. Preferably these rollers are grooved peripherally, -so that when they arel in close proX- imity to veach other there will be a circular or approximately circular space between them. The shafts e c2 are j ournaled in bear- 9o ings made in the form of brackets, which are supported by the framework A of the machine, which are loosely hung upon shafts F F2, these shafts being supported in a bracket F, that is fastened to the framework A of the 9 5 machine and extends forwardly therefrom. Therefore the shafts c e2 can swing toward and from each other upon the shafts F F2,

as fulcrumed ou the shafts F F2 are beveled gear-wheels c5 e6. These engage with beveled gear-wheels ff2, affixed to the shafts F F2. The shafts F' F2 have aflixed to them intermeshing gear wheels f3 f". llence these shafts rotate in unison. 0n the shaft F is affixed a gear-wheel f5, that engages with a gear-wheelf, aiiixed to the driving-shaft C.

The shafts F F2 at the forward ends abut against screws fl, which engage with tapped holes in the outer extremities of the bracket F and are combined withjam-nuts f2f10. By turning these screws the shafts may be adjusted forward and backward to a slight extent to secure exactly the proper relation of the rollers E E2 and cutters B B2. To prevent the rollers E E2 from being moved into too close relation to each other, I provide the brackets e2 e4 with set-screws c7 e2 and arrange upon the forward part of the framework A a bracket d, the latter being of such length as to project between the set-screws.

Attached to the brackets c2 e4 are guides G G2 of semiconical shape provided with shanks g g2, by means of which the connection is made with the said brackets e3 c4.

The rollers E E2 and the guides G G2 are moved toward and from each other for each leaf that is to be stemmed.

The brackets c2 e4 are pivotally connected between their ends with rods I'l H2, which are also pivotally connected with arms I l2, affixed to shafts 712'2, that are journaled in the framework A of the machine. These shafts have also affixed to them arms J J2, and hence said shafts with their arms I l2 and J J2 constitute levers. The arms J J2 are connected by means of rods j j2 with. levers K K2, which are fulcrumed on pins or studs 7c.' 7a2, supported by the framework A of the machine. The inner ends of these levers K K2 are connected together by means of a pin 7c, which passes transversely through holes with which they are provided, one of the holes being large enough to prevent the pin from interfering with the swing of the levers. The pin 7c is provided with an antifriction-roller that fits the groove of a cam L.

Vith the levers K K2 are combined sprin gs 7c3 7a4, which may hold the inner ends of the levers K K2 in contact with the inner wall of the cam-groove in the event of any lost motion between the two walls of the groove and the roller. The stops I2 I4 are combined with the arms I I2 to limit their downward motion and therefore to limit the movement of said arms I l2. The stops I2 I4, as shown, consist of screws which are adjustable in brackets extending from the framework A of the machine.

The cam L is affixed to a shaft L', which is jou rnaled in the framework A of the machine and is provided with a belt-pulley L2, by which motion may be imparted to it. It is intended that this belt pulley shall be constantly driven, but that the shaft LL shall only be driven intermittingly. Hence the pulley L2 is mounted loosely upon the shaft L and connected to it by a friction-clutch L2, which may be of any suitable construction.

The shaft cl2, supporting the feed-roller D2, extends downwardly and contacts with an arm M, affixed to a rotary shaft M, which has affixed to it a sprocket-wheel m., that engages with a chain m', also passing around al sprocket-wheel m2, affixed to the shaft L'. Preferably there will be an adjustment between the arm M and the sprocket-wheel m, so that they may be combined in exactly the desired relation. To this end the sprocketwheel is loosely mounted upon the shaft M', and is provided with a segment m2. Affixed to the shaft adjacent to the sprocket-wheel is a collar m4, having two lugs m5 m, extending adjacent to the ends of the segment fm2 of the sprocket-wheel. These lugs m5 m6 of the collar m4 are provided with set-screws m7 m8, which may be adjusted to impinge against the ends of the said segment. Obviously by manipulations of these set-screws the relation of the sprocket-wheel to the shaft M', and hence its relation to the arm M, may be varied.

As soon as the stem of a tobacco-leaf has been introduced between the guides G G2 it will be grasped by the rollers E E2 and moved through the cutters B B2 to the feed-rollers D D2. Its passage between the latter will cause the feed-roller D2 to be moved away from its fellow. Thus the shaft cl2 will be moved beyond the arm M. Thereupon the pulley L2 will impart through the frictionclutch L3 rotary motion to the shaft L and the latter will transmit this motion to the shaft M', so as to revolve the arm M. The cam L will also be turned at this time. Hence the guides G G2 and the rollers E E2 will be moved apart so as not to interfere with the tobacco-leaf. The revolution of the arm M will afford time for the stripping or stemming of a leaf. After the passage of the stem of the leaf beyond the rollers D D2 the shaft d2 will be in position to stop the arm M with the guides G G2 and rollers E' E2 in proper relation to introduce another leaf.

Suitable receptacles may be provided for the leaves and the stems after stripping or stemming.

That we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a tobacco stripping or stemming machine, the combination of tubular concentric cutters, guides for directing a leaf to the same, and feeding means controlled by the stem of the leaf for automatically moving said guides toward and from each other, substantially as specified.

2. In a tobacco stripping or stemming machine, the combination of tubular concentric cutters, guides for directing a leaf to the same, a pair of feed-rollers controlled by the stem of the leaf, and connections between the IOO IIO

guides and feed-rollers for movin g said guides toward and from each other, substftntinlly as specified.

3. In L tobacco stripping or stemming; inachine, the combination of tubular concentric cutters, guides for directing at leaf to the same, a roller bodily movable by the stem of the leaf, a. surface coacting with the roller and between which and the roller the stemis fed, and connections between said guides and roller for moving the guides toward and from each other, substantially as speeiiiecl.

4. In et tobacco strippingor stemming machine, the combination of tubular concentric cutters, guides for directing a leaf to the same, means for moving said guides toward zic 

